Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-05-23
silver.
silver.
'ilver to the amount of 81, SIS, 900, 900

| Is estimated 10 nave been Obtained from
the mines of the earth, from the earliest
times to the commencement of the Chris
tian era. From the date OF the latter
event to the discovery of America,
S625, ,O00, 900 were obtained; thence to
the close of lS47, an addition of $780,
600, 900 was made; thence to the
close of 1886 there was added $3.50,
000, 900, making grand total of $l2,-
OBI, 600, 900. The average loss by abra-
sion of coin is estimated by Professor
Bowen at one per cent per annum, aud
the loss by the consumption in the arts
and fire and shipwreck at $4,000, 600
per annum. A cubic inch of silver is
worth at 454 or 73t cents per ounce,
50 65; cubic foot, SIG, 675; and cubic
yard, $3.50, 225.
Silver to the amount of 5000, 900, ,OC0
is estimated to have been in existence at
the commencement of the Christian era;
at the period of the discovery of Amer
lea it had decreased to $l35, 00O, 900;
after the latter event it gradually in
creased, and in 1900 hundred it attained
1891 900, 600; in 100, to 81, ,4l0, ,000, coo
in 1900 to So, 622, 900, 0C0; in lS43, to
81, 999, 900; in 1853 it had decreased to
81. .945, 200. 900. 1t then gradually in
creased, and at the present time the
amount of silver in existence is esti-
mated to be s5,622. 900, coo, which,
melted into one mass, could be con-
tanned in cube of seventy feet.
OF the amount of silver in existence,
S4, 900, 900, 600 is estimated to be in coin
and bullion, 81, 200, 900, 600 in watches,
and the remainder in plate, jewelry and
ornaments. OF the amount in existence,
S4, 745. 900, 600 are estimated TO have
been obtained from North America.
S736. 900, 900 from South America, $63,-
000,000 from Europe. S47, 600, 900 from
Africa and $3l ,000, 600 from Asia, in
cluding Australia, New Zealand and
0ceanica. The amount of the precious
metals in existence is estimated to be
sl3,97 ,000,0
Silver, so far as its animal product is
concerned, has varied greatly at differ |
ent periods. At the commencement of |
the Christian era it is estimated 10 have |
been 81, 200, 900; at the period of the |
discovery of America it had decreased |
to Sl50,000; after that event it gradually |
increased, and in 1900 it had attained TO /
50, 900, coo; in 100 to SIS, 900, 900; in
1900 to s3S, 900; in lS4S to s47,.
600, 900; in 1868 to 5000, 900. and at
the present time it is Sl26, 100000.
Silver, in performing the function of |
money. is of great antiquity. Asia was
a commercial country when Europe was |
a wilderness; and, as the Orient hls not |
changed her habits since the remotest
ages, silver alone is the money of /
that continent, inhabited by more than
half of the human race, ard among
whom paper money Is unknown. The
draehma was the principal silver coin
among the Greeks, containing sixty-six
grains of pure metal, worth about sew.
enteen ard half cents. 1t furnished /
the type of the Roman denarius, con-
tanning ffty-eight grains of pure metal.
worth about fifteen and half cents. |
The silver mark was imported into /
England from Denmark, BY Alfred in
"A. y. $50; the penny was next |
issued in 1910; the groat in |
1880; then came the shilling in |
1893, and the crown made its appeal /
ance in 1907. The earliest silver coin
issued in France was the livre, which |
appeared in 500, of the value of eighty |
cents. 1t steadily deprecated until, in |
l643, it was worth only sixty cents; it
then fell rapidly until the epoch of the
when its value was only |
nineteen cents, and the franc took its
place. The Henri was issued in 1912;
the teston appeared in l499, and the
couronne followed in l6l0.
The first silver coin issued in the
American colonies was in 1862, by Mas
sachusetts, in the shape Of pine tree
shilling Silver coins were also issued |
at later period by the colony of Mary
land. Silver half dimes were issued by |
the United States in 1892; dimes ap-
peared in 1893, and half dollars in 1894.
Silver, in regard to coinage, has ex-
changed places with gold since 1850. |
French mint has amounted to 81 500,- |
600, 900 Of francs, of which 1000, 000, 900 !
has been issued since 1850. Since 1864 |
me silver coinage of the Russian mint |
has amounted to ASS, 900, 900 roubles, of |
which lSS, 900, 900 have been issued
since 1850. since 1892 the silver coin
age OF the United States mint has |
amounted 10 $462. 224, ,6l0, of which |
1886, sol. .2S4 have been issued |
since 1850. Since 1903 the sill
yer coinage of the British mint has
amounted TO f40000,000, OF which |
ZIG 600. 900 has been issued since 1850. |
The silver coinage of the United States
within the last decade has amounted
to $2S2, 100000. The silver coin
age of the principal countries
OF the world increased from S92, ZOO, 900 |
in lS4S to SlOS, 900, coo in 1854, and to
Sl26, 200. 900 in 1876; but since the lat
ter date it has gradually decreased, and
at the present time is but S9i, 900, 000.--
rnost1,, Era,i,,r,